September 11, 2001

While many young children have heard references to "9/11" or "September 11," they may not have accurate answers to all of their questions about the events of September 11, 2001. The goal of these activities is to provide a starting point to help families and classrooms discuss the shocking events of September 11 and how communities respond in times of trouble.

The Little Chapel That Stood retells the events of September 11, 2001, through illustrations and poetry without going into graphic details. The title refers to St. Paul's Church, a real church located within blocks of the World Trade Center that served as a hub for rescue and recovery workers. The book is available in print or online.

The National Museum of American History has a collection of artifacts related to the victims, survivors, and heroes of September 11, 2001. Many of those artifacts, and the stories behind them, are available for viewing online in the online exhibition September 11: Bearing Witness to Historyand in the "New American Roles" section of the online exhibition, The Price of Freedom: Americans At War. These exhibitions are appropriate for adults, but some of the artifacts and their stories may be shocking to young children, so please preview the materials before sharing them with your child.

Objects in History

Col. Mark Volk was one of the brave Pentagon employees who helped save coworkers trapped in the damaged Pentagon. As an intense fire raged, Col. Volk ordered an evacuation and rushed from his office to look for survivors. In recognition of his actions Col. Volk was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal.